These first 40 years of the 19th century
often contained references to excessive rainfall, floods etc. Using the EWP
series, the following years had precipitation %ages of roughly=/> 110% . . .
1816, 1821, 1824, 1828, 1830, 1831 & 1839. In particular, 1828 & 1839
(~120%) stand out, though even these don't appear in the 'top-10' of wettest
years in that series. There is evidence from London-area data that (as might be
expected) there were notable regional variations. For example, from the
Greenwich series (LW), the wettest years in these four decades did NOT coincide
with the EWP set; for London, it appears that 1821 (~140%) and 1824 (~150%)
captured the most rainfall, and two years (1817 & 1819), although not
'notable' in the England/Wales-wide series, were wet in the London/SE area. However, as always with such sweeping statements, there were
notable exceptions! The following years and / or seasons are noted as being
'dry' during these first 40 years of the 19th century:
>1800 - A dry summer.
>1802 - A dry year.
>1807 - A dry year & a dry summer.
>1818 - A long, dry & hot summer. (see below)
>1825 - A dry summer. A notable hot spell in July.
>1826 - A warm summer. (see below)
>1827 - A dry summer.
>1835 - A dry summer.
>1840 - A dry year; a dry summer.

EWP,
8

First 40 yr. of 19th C.

Often wet in London, with 8 years wet
(1816, 1817, 1819, 1821, 1824, 1828, 1831 & 1839), with 1821 & 1824
being 'outstandingly' wet. 10 wet summers noted: just 3 'dry' years in this
period noted: 1802, 1807 & 1840.
There were 7 severe winters in this period: 1813/14, 1815/16, 1819/20, 1822/23,
1829/30, 1837/38 & 1840/41. There was a great deal of ice on the Thames
during most of these winters, but the ice does not seem to have been
strong/thick enough for people to walk from one side to the other.
1809-1819: After a relatively benign period from 1790 (several warm summers
& less cold winters), these years saw a return to often harsh winters &
unsettled, cold & wet summers. The decade from 1810-1819 was the coldest in
England since the 1690's. Lamb (CHMW) ascribes this reversal to a renewal of
volcanic activity. [ It is generally thought that the works of Charles Dickens
take the character of the weather from this less than perfect period, e.g. the
often-quoted snow / frost in such as 'A Christmas Carol' & 'The Pickwick
Papers'.]

12th: Significant snowstorm (heavy snow /
high winds) affects East Anglia / East of England fens. Dislocation to movement
for "several days". This was followed in the days after by a 'very
intense frost'.

(local)

July 1808

1. Notably warm month (using the CET
series since 1659). With a value of 18.4degC, it is in the 'top-10' of
such-named months for warmth. In particular, there was a hot spell from the
12th to the 15th, with a peak around the 13th/14th, when the CET daily
temperature (i.e. average of 24hr maximum & minimum) climbed to just over
24degC. Studies since that date have shown that individual day maxima were well
above 25degC (possibly to 28degC) in the West of England; up to (almost
certainly over) 32degC in London & possibly as high as 34degC in Kingston
upon Hull (ER Yorkshire): however caution is required with all these values due
to the differing instruments, exposure, accuracy of recording etc. It was
undoubtedly a very hot spell though, as deaths (people & animals) from heat
exhaustion were recorded, particularly from the agricultural areas in the east
and north of England. One report at the time (from farm records in the eastern
Fens), says that the temperature in the shade near London was 96 (degF), which
converts to just over 35degC: the same reference notes that this spell is the
"hottest day ever known in Eng'd the Hot Sunday in 1790 was only 83
Deg". [ NB: August 1808 also reasonably warm, with anomaly circa + 1degC.
]
2. 13th: 'Hot Wednesday': shade temperatures 33 to 35degC in E. and SE England,
37degC (99degF) reported in Suffolk (exposure & instrument details unknown
. . see 1. above).
3. Damaging hailstorm affected counties in SW England afternoon / evening of
the 15th (presumably as the hot spell above was breaking down), primarily
affecting Dorset, Somerset & Gloucestershire. The storm first hit areas in
the Sherborne / Templecombe area late afternoon then moved (or developed)
NNW'wards to reach Bristol mid-evening. From reports at the time, the diameter
of much of the hail was of the order 11 cm, with much damage being recorded -
including injury & death to people in the open. If these reports are
correct, then this 1808 hailstorm (according to Colin Clark / 'Weather' July
2004), produced the largest hail diameters for Britain known (along with that
for 1697).

Fog daily 24th December to 2nd January
(London/South). Further fog on 7 days later in January.

8

January 1809

A flood occurred, which may have been
tidal in the lower reaches of the Thames, carried away bridges at Eton,
Deptford and Lewisham. Flooding noted at Windsor. Highest flood level (as at
2003) on the upper River Thames recorded at Shillingford Wharf (47.25m above
OD). After a cold / frosty period, during which the ground became thoroughly
frozen, rain fell on the 19th January, which itself froze, plus a period of
snow. Then on the 24th, what is described as 'intense' rainfall, coupled with
snowmelt produced a rapid rise in the waters of the Thames over the near-solid
surface. A major flood was the result, causing much damage (which may have been
aggravated by an above-average high tide in the lower reaches of the Thames),
which amongst other things took away the central arch of Wallingford Bridge,
part of the old Bridge at Wheatley, and damaged or destroyed bridges
downstream, e.g. at Bisham, Eton & Windsor. flood damage also specifically
noted at Deptford & Lewisham. Has been dubbed by some: "The Great
Thames Flood". It wasn't a particularly wet winter, but the combination of
snow/frozen ground and high-intensity rainfall was more than poor flood defence
schemes (if they existed) could cope with.
26th: SW gale and a rapidly rising temperature in Scotland after a snowstorm
ended a severe frost period with easterly winds which began in December
1808.

6, 8

26th April 1809

Thames in flood at various points
(specifically noted at Windsor).

8

1809 (October)

Fog on 11 days, with thick fog last 3
days (London/South).

8

January 1810

10 days of fog in London.

8

October 1810

Fog on 5 days (London/South).
Snow on the 30th (London??).

8

November 1810

Easterly gale: sea floods around Boston,
Lincolnshire.

6

1810
(December)

What is thought to be Britain's strongest
tornado (known / accepted) occurred in December 1810. A category of
"T8" (on a ten-point scale) has been assigned to it; 14th December,
1810 at Old Portsmouth (Hampshire). From the TORRO web site . . . "
tracked from Old Portsmouth to Southsea Common (Hampshire) causing immense
damage - although no deaths, it is believed. Some houses completely levelled
and many others were so badly damaged that they had to be demolished; chimneys
were blown down and the lead on a bank roof was 'rolled up like a piece of
canvas and blown from its situation' ".

1. Spring & Summer 1812 were notably
cold. The anomaly for both seasons on the whole-series (CET) mean was around
-1.5C, with March, April, June, July & August having anomalies in excess of
-1C. April 1812 was unusually cold, with a CET value of 5.5degC (-2.4C) &
thus one of the 'top-dozen' or so cold such-named months. It was the coldest
Spring since 1799, and it was not to as cold again in Spring until 1837, though
in this latter year, the summer was warm. By contrast, 1812 experienced one of
the coldest summers across England & Wales using the CET series (began
1659).
2. In addition to the extended cold, rainfall was often excessive. The months
of February & March 1812 experienced EWP anomalies of 177% & 150%
respectively, which with the cold ground, would have had a severe effect on the
germination of crops sown, or about to be sown. Indeed, although April was
drier than average, May, June and July were all wet (averaging ~135%), so
sowing may have been impossible on heavier soils.
3. The backwardness of the crops, plus the extended wet/cold weather (with
probably a lack of sunshine, though there are no contemporary records for
this), meant that the harvest that year was also delayed, as well as being of a
low yield. From records in Yorkshire, the harvest began around 20th September,
and was not finished until the second week of November (Wintringham Parish
Register).

1, CET, EWP

1813/1814
(winter)

1. One of the four or five coldest
winters in the CET record. See also 1683/84; 1739/40 and 1962/63. Particularly
cold January to March: CET values, with anomalies ref. 1961-90 averages: Jan:
-2.9(-6.7), Feb: 1.4(-2.4), Mar: 2.9(-2.8): We had to wait until 1962/63 for
comparable, extended cold periods, in particular for the January values. The
last time that the 'tidal' River Thames froze over sufficiently to hold 'frost
fairs' etc. The activities surrounding the fair lasted well into February, but
around 5th/6th February, a thaw set in and the ice started to break up, helped
by rain: some people were drowned and many booths were destroyed. The loose ice
did much damage to shipping of all sizes on the river. (After this time, the
removal of the old London Bridge in 1831, plus other work enabled the Thames to
increase it's flow, and freezing of the tidal stretches has not occurred
since.) Most commentators say this was the 'last great frost fair' held on the
Thames. The greatest frost of the 19th century commenced on the 27th December
1813; the onset of the frost was accompanied by thick fog.
2. Probably one of the snowiest winters in these islands in the last 300 years
(1947 comparable). Much disruption in January in particular due to the snow.
Reports from Perth (Scotland) spoke of low temperatures in the first week of
January: by the end of the week, snow was falling in Aberdeenshire and a few
days later reports from Kelso (Borders) spoke of heavy snow blocking roads to
Edinburgh. By Monday, 17th January, the storm had become so severe that the
newspapers opined that this storm was the worst since 1795. In Dublin, the
snowfall was so severe that people were trapped inside their houses, and it is
reported that Canterbury (Kent) was cut off for at least six days.
Heavy snow fell during the period 3rd to 5th January, 1814 and this was
followed by a temporary thaw which only lasted one day; the frost then returned
(often severe over snow cover) and persisted until the 5th February. The Thames
was frozen solid from 31st January to 5th February and a frost fair was held on
the river; a thaw took place between 5th and 7th February and the drifting ice
damaged shipping considerably. [Note also that other rivers had ice
problems, such as the Mersey & the Severn - the Thames always gets the
headlines! Mention in chronicles of skating at Bristol and horses being ridden
over these rivers: no doubt others in the country were similarly affected.]
In addition to the heavy frost, fog was an additional hazard, which commenced
(in London) on the 26th/27th December, and only lifted on the 3rd January,
1814. On the 27th December, the fog was so dense (under 20 yards/metres) that
the Prince Regent (later George IV), who was on his way to visit the Marquis of
Salisbury at Hatfield House, near St. Albans, had to turn back at Kentish Town
and return to Carlton House. This short journey took several hours and one of
the Prince Regent's outriders fell into a ditch at Kentish Town. The fog was
still dense on the 28th December and on that night the Maidenhead coach, which
was returning from London, lost its way and overturned. Dense fog continued on
29th December and the Birmingham mail coach took nearly 7 hours to go from
London to just past Uxbridge (west Middlesex). Traffic was almost at a
standstill in London on the nights of 30th and 31st December; many coachmen had
to lead their horses and others only drove at a walking pace. Only pedestrians
who knew the locality well dared venture forth, and even some of them lost
their way. The fog was finally cleared by a cold northerly wind, accompanied by
heavy snow, which set in on the 3rd January 1814 (though Lamb in ref. 6 says
this occurred 5th/6th).

6, 8

1814 & 1816

These years were as cold, if not colder
than, 1695. The 'Frost Fair' in February of 1814 is thought to be the last held
on the Thames in London (1st to 4th). The summer of 1814 was cold: This year,
together with that of 1816 (q.v.), were two of the coldest years in the CET
record (began 1659). The value for 1814 was 7.7degC, which places it within the
'top-10' of all-series cold years.
1816 is famously known as 'the year without a summer': in this latter year,
heavy snow fell all day on the 14th April, and snow fell on the 12th
May.

8,
CET

June 1815

The May and June of 1815 were very
unsettled, and marked by high rainfall totals across the Low Countries. In
particular, the heavy rain-storms in the lead up to, and immediately prior to
the Battle of Waterloo (17th/18th) across Belgium may have been a contributory
factor in the defeat of the Napoleonic French forces - the French cavalry in
particular finding it difficult to traverse the rain-sodden ground.

6

1815/16
(winter)

A severe winter
(London/South).

8

1816 & 1817

Two wet years, with wet summers - in
London.

8

1816
(Spring)

Whether linked to the volcanic eruption
(Tambora/q.v. below) of the previous year or not, spring of 1816 had an overall
anomaly (on the whole-series mean) of greater than -1C; snow is reported to
have fallen 'all day' on Easter Sunday (14th April, quite late) in the 'London'
area, with further snow reported on the 12th May.

8

1816 (Annual / Summer): THE 'YEAR WITHOUT
A SUMMER'

A violent volcanic eruption of Tambora,
in the East Indies (Sumbawa island / modern-day Indonesia) in April of 1815,
threw enormous amounts of dust & sulphur dioxide into the stratosphere,
which spread around the globe, not only cutting out direct insolation, but
leading to a distortion of the global wind circulation [via stratospheric /
high tropospheric temperature changes]. In Europe, grain harvests were late,
and in western areas of Britain and across Ireland, continuous rain / low
temperatures led to total failure of crops with much distress.
Notably cold periods June to September). In particular, summer 1816 had a CET
value of just 13.4degC, putting it firmly in the top 2 or 3 coldest summers by
that measure.
The annual (estimated) CET for 1816 = 7.9degC, about 1.3degC below
the 'all-series' mean. (NB: however, that Scotland was apparently drier/sunnier
than elsewhere - this is taken to imply depressions taking a much more
southward path. ) [ See also 1883/Krakatoa ]

CET, 11, 13,
VOLC

September & October 1816

2nd September: Sharp frost: ice on water
near London (Luke Howard) .. this in early September remember!!: (This was
described as 'the year without a summer' - see above; there were snowdrifts
still on Helvellyn, Lake District, on the 30th July. )
After the cold, cheerless summer & early autumn [above], on October 20th,
local accounts covering NE Scotland note ' a great hurricane & snowstorm.
The stooks of corn were yet out in the fields, and the snow had to be cast to
get at them; when dug out they were a frozen lump, and could not be thawed for
the cattle '.

6

1817
(Summer)

A wet summer across England & Wales.
(according to Lamb, in CHMW). The anomaly is given as 149% of LTA (1916-1950).
1817 was also a 'bad' year across Scotland - with early (i.e. autumnal) frosts
damaging / delaying the autumn harvest & much hardship in rural / highland
areas.][ It may be that this obviously cyclonic type was a consequence
of the cold, disturbed patterns induced by the Tambora event .. see above.
]

The summer was claimed to be the longest,
driest & warmest in living memory. (?London/South) Overall, using the CET
series, the anomaly for the three summer months (JJA) was +1.3C, with June
(16.4degC/+2.1C) & July (18.2degC/+2.3C) notably warm. However, August was
slightly cooler than average, with an anomaly of -0.3C. It was certainly a dry
season, with an EWP figure of 102mm representing ~50% of the all-series mean.
At Greenwich, only 40mm of rain was recorded over these three months, with
August particularly dry: the value measured at the time (in inches) was
0.1" (or 2.5mm). This remarkable summer was followed by a wet
autumn.

8,
CET,
EWP

1819
(May)

A period of severe frost affected large
areas of Britain around the end of the month, tentatively in the period 27th to
30th (based on CET daily series). Considerable plant damage reported as far
apart as the Forest of Dean (Gloucestershire), Rugby & several places in
Scotland.

CET

1819
(October)

Snow fell across southern England
(including the London area) on the 22nd; amounts in London around 2 inches / 5
cm reported, with greater amounts in the (then very) rural areas of
Surrey.

8

1819

A wet year (in London).

8

1819/20
(early to mid-winter
& 'winter'
half-year)

Notably cold weather by CET series. Both
December 1819 & January 1820 were notably cold (though not in the 'top-10'
of such-named months), and the overall winter season figure of 1.4degC
represented an anomaly of around -2.3C on the all-series mean and was ranked
just outside the top-20 of coldest winters by this measure. Perhaps of more
interest, since this winter, there have only been 6 colder such-seasons viz
(date order, with value): 1829/30(1.1), 1837/38(1.4), 1878/79(0.7),
1894/95(1.2), 1946/47(1.1) & 1962/63(-0.3).
[ NB: February not nearly so cold.]
On the 21st/22nd October, 1819 - falls of snow across southern England: snow
lay fairly deeply in Surrey (5cm reported in London) after a fall in the early
hours of the 22nd probably as a result of a vigorous plunge of Arctic air.
Snow fell widely & heavily towards the end of December, particularly
notable on the 28th. During the first three weeks of January, a particularly
severe spell produced deep snow across many southern & southeastern
counties of England, including the Isle of Wight. The non-tidal Thames froze as
far downstream as Kew. There were ice floes in the Thames estuary, with
shipping disrupted (very important to commerce in these pre-railway days).
At Tunbridge Wells (Kent) a temperature of (minus)23degC was reported, but
there are no details of exposure, instrument etc.('Weather Eye' / Issue 19 /
Ian Currie) Looking at the longer 'winter half-year' of 1819-1820 [October
- March], then all months were COLDER than average with respect to the
'all-series' means & notably so when compared with modern data: for
example, the monthly sequence of anomalies w.r.t. 1971-2000 averages is: -1.3C,
-2.8C, -3.7C, -4.5C, -1.0C & -1.6C.

27th: snow in London area. One of the
latest known, and possibly *the* latest until 2nd June 1975. (noted as lasting
for some 5 minutes).

6, 8

November & December 1821

A wet couple of months (November and
December 1821). Total EWP rainfall = 307mm, or about 160% of average.
By December, the Thames had risen so much that it flooded the church at Bisham,
with a local bridge being washed away on the 26th December. The river was at
its highest on the 27th; it was noted at the time as being within 3 inches of
the level of the significant floods of 1809. The flooding continued into the
New Year.

8, EWP

1821
(December)

Extremely low atmospheric pressure
reading in London. At around 0500/25th, a reading of 948.7mbar (originally read
in inches/to nearest 1/1000'th) was observed at Greenwich. Until at least 2006,
this is the lowest known reading for the 'London' & SE area
(Burt/'Weather'/January 2007).

x

1821
(Annual)

A wet year (in London).
A very wet year using the EWP series (across England & Wales). The %age
value was ~115% of the whole-series mean. It was also a notably wet year in the
London area (and by rough extension, the SE of England), where Greenwich
recorded 34.5 inches (~876 mm) of rain, representing at least 140% of the
long-term average. (LW) [ See also the general note at the head of the 1800s
]

8,
EWP

1821/1822
(August - June)

11 months with the CET values above the
all-series average, with eight of them (September, November & December
1821, January to March 1822 & May & June 1822) all >1C above the
average & five of them (November, December, February, March & June)
>2C above. [ This extended period of warmth was sandwiched between a
notably cold late spring/ early-mid summer of 1821 (anomaly ~ -1.6C) and the
chilly 'high summer' of 1822. ]

CET

1821/1822
(Winter)

Notably mild. The CET value was 5.8degC,
some 2C above the all-series mean & in the top dozen-or-so mild winters in
this long established series.
Significant flooding along the Thames over the months of December &
January: hardly surprising, given the excess of rainfall in the second-half of
1821, with November & December (EWP) taken together seeing a figure of some
150-160% of the long term average rainfall. Floods were reported from Henley,
Maidenhead & Kingston-upon-Thames. (LW)
This winter was often stormy according to Lamb [see entry against February,
below], and as noted above, was notably mild.

1, CET, EWP,
23

1822
(February)

Severe gale did a great deal of damage on
5th February (London/South?).

8

1822/23
(Winter)

The notably mild winter of 1821/22 (see
above) was followed by a notably cold winter! The 3-month average for this
season was 1.4degC, representing an anomaly of over -2C on the all-series
mean.(CET). During this severe winter, there was much ice in the Thames at
Greenwich by the 30th December.

8, CET

Feb. 1823

8th: Great snowstorm in N. England: the
ways subsequently opened by tunnelling through drifts.

6

1823
(Summer)

Using the CET series (began 1659), this
summer was one of the coldest by that measure across England &
Wales.

CET

October to December 1823

31st October: gales.
Thames in flood at Windsor at the beginning of November.
Gales 17th December did great damage.

8

1824

A very wet year using the EWP series
(across England & Wales). The %age value was ~113% of the whole-series
mean. It was also a notably wet year in the London area (and by rough
extension, the SE of England), where Greenwich recorded 36.3 inches (~922 mm)
of rain, representing at least 150% of the long-term average. (LW)
[ See also the general note at the head of the 1800s ]3rd March: Serious damage caused by gale (London/South).Autumn: with an EWP value of 388mm (~150% of LTA), this Autumn is one of
the dozen or so wettest such seasons in that series. A number of reports of
flooding around the country.
On the evening of the 22nd November 1824, a vigorous depression, almost
certainly producing a significant storm surge, affected much of the south coast
of England, with the high winds causing much damage well away from the coast. A
naval officer (variously recorded as being in either Portland [SW Dorset] or
Sidmouth [SE Devon]) likened the wind strength, and its effects in coastal
areas, to that of a "West Indian hurricane": this may be one of the
earliest uses of that name in connection with a 'mid-latitude'/extra-tropical
cyclone. Indeed in one report after the event, he is quoted as saying that the
wind strengths were greater than a hurricane, though of course the
latter are variable anyway & it would depend upon his personal experience.
[Ref & much more data:
http://www.southampton.ac.uk/~imw/chestorm.htm]

8,
EWP

1825 (February)

Fog on 6 days in February (London/South).
4th/5th: major storm affecting the North Sea & adjacent coasts; the bulk of
the problems (wind damage/storm surge) seems to have been a feature for the
continental side of the Sea, but high winds would also have affected the
Scottish & English coastline, as a very strong gradient from the NNW
developed from the second-half of the 3rd February.

8, Lamb / Wheeler,
23

1825
(summer)

A dry summer - probably across a good
part of Britain.
> July 1825 was exceptionally dry by the EWP series: with a value of just
8.2 mm (~12% modern LTA), this is the driest July in the England & Wales
Precipitation [EWP] series (up to 2014 update), and the 10th driest any
month in that series.
> With the extended drought (see above), it is not surprising that this
month also experienced a hot spell; we only have records for the London &
Home Counties area, but in central London (Somerset House) there was a sequence
of days from the 12th to 20th (9 days) with the maximum temperature >=80degF
(>=27degC), with the highest value on the 19th at 89degF (~32degC). At
Datchet (then Buckinghamshire, now Berkshire, near Windsor), on four days
(15th, 17th, 18th & 19th) the temperature in a 'shaded' area of a garden
was recorded between 90 and 96degF (latter is ~36degC); these values are
probably too high by modern standards but give an idea of the intensity of the
heat. [Phil Trans Royal Society]

A notably cold January (~-3C anomaly/CET)
with 'a great deal of ice' noted on the Thames at Greenwich on the 13th
January, and nearly frozen (?over) at Deptford on the 17th (LW).

8,
CET

1826
(Summer)

1. June, July and August: persistently
warm weather by CET series. For these three months, the figure was 17.6degC,
placing it as the second hottest summer in that series (began 1659) after 1976.
The period mid-June to mid-July using the CET series, was one (of two) hottest
30-day periods in that series, with a value of 19.7degC. (See also 1976)
2. Dry by the EWP series. June 1826, with 12.4mm, was the 3rd driest June in
that series (update to 1998). Total (summer) rainfall was just 122mm .. not
'record-breaking', but still noteworthy. " A warm summer"
(London/South).

8, EWP, CET

1826: (Annual)

A dry year, in the top 20 dry years in
the EWP series, and just inside the 'top-10' (as at 2002).

EWP

1827

A dry summer (London/South).

8

1828
(Summer
& Annual)

A wet summer (148% of LTA 1916-1950)
across England & Wales (according to Lamb/CHMW).
It was also a wet year by the EWP series.
Gale damaged houses & trees on the night 9th/10th August
(London/South?).

1, 8, EWP

1828

A wet year.

8

1829

A cold year: Continuous frost 16th to
24th January; ice in the Thames on 23rd January.
A notably wet summer (168% of LTA 1916-1950) across England & Wales
(according to Lamb/CHMW). Note the second wet summer in a row, though only
three years after a notably dry year of 1826! [N.B. Warm & dry across the
northern highlands of Scotland during May & June; local drought here -
hence the dramatic impact of the floods / high rainfall noted below.]
The 'extended' summer (June to September) showed a %age of 185%.
Over an inch (~ 2.5cm) of snow fell on the 7th October. Six inches (circa
15cm) on 25th November (?London/South). (see also entries below).

1, 8, EWP

1829
(July)

July, had an EWP of 144mm, and this
represented ~230% of the LTA. There was severe flooding on tributaries of the
River Aire & reservoir failure at Adel, Leeds (W. Yorkshire) in this
month.

EWP

August 1829

Disastrous floods of all rivers between
Moray & Angus, after torrential rains 2nd to 4th August, with NE winds
& waterspouts. Stone bridges and houses washed away in 5 or 6 counties,
coastline altered at river mouths. (July had been very thundery in the South,
but cold with night frosts in Scotland).
27th: Further floods in the same districts in NE Scotland as above.
August 1829 in particular was in the 'top-10' of wet such-named months in the
EWP series: floods washed away bridges, altered river courses & caused much
loss to agriculture. It was also a cold month, with an anomaly of around minus
one-and-a-half C.

6, EWP, CET,
23

October & November 1829

7th October: snow lay for a while in the
London area & elsewhere in the South. From Aylesbury (Buckinghamshire)
there was a report of a heavy fall of snow for three hours. (Up to the 1960s,
the earliest known date .. "several inches" according to contemporary
reports).
14th October: Severe NE gale 13th/14th in Scotland; ships lost.
25th November: ENE gale in Scotland: many ships lost.

6,
8

1829/30
(Winter)

Severe winter. Almost continuous frost
23rd to 31st December 1829, 12th to 19th January 1830 and then 31st January to
6th February. Much ice in the Thames on the 29th December and 22nd January.
Thames at Greenwich blocked by ice on 3rd February, but all the ice had drifted
out to sea by the 10th February.
The CET value for the three 'standard' winter months of December, January &
February was 1.1degC, or an approximate 'all-series' negative anomaly of over
two-and-a-half C. Further afield, Lake Constance in central Europe froze over
completely for the first time since 1740, and it did not do so again until
1963.

1, 8, CET

1830
(Spring,
Summer
& early Autumn)

Another rather wet period from April to
September (England & Wales).
A wet summer (in London). Further afield, the summer of 1830 was noted as being
"remarkably cold & wet" in Kendal, Westmorland. Using the CET
& EWP series, for the three months June, July & August, the overall
temperature anomaly was -1C & the precipitation value represented well over
150% of the all-series mean precipitation.

8, CET, EWP, CUMB

1830 (December)

1. 'Spectacular "White
Christmas" ' this year is thought to be the model on which Charles Dickens
based his 'Christmas at Dingley Dell' episode in 'Pickwick papers'.
2. Minimum temperature at Greenwich on 25th December was on 11degF (- 12degC).

8

1831

A wet year (in London). During a severe
storm, 1 inch (25mm) of rain fell in about 30 minutes. Thunderstorms daily from
2nd to 5th August in London.

8

1832
(February)

Thick fog 22nd to 25th February
(London/South).

8

1832
(Summer)

A dry summer across (at least) southern
Scotland [more data needed - this taken from local newspaper reports for Moffat
in the Border country].

x

1833: (February)

Wettest February (as of 2007) in the EWP
record.

EWP

1833:
(May)

Warm & dry, at least across much of
England & Wales. Using the CET series, it was the warmest May on record by
a large margin over its nearest rival, 1848. The value quoted (MetO/Hadley
series) is 15.1degC, or an anomaly on the 'whole-series' of roughly +4C.
This month was also dry, at least across the domain of the England & Wales
precipitation series: with a value of 22 mm, this represents roughly a third of
'average' rainfall, and places it (as at 2008) equal 10th driest with 1956, in
that series.

CET,
EWP

1833/1834: (Winter)

1. One of the warmest winters (by CET) in
the series which began in 1659. Up to 1997, rank=2 Value=6.53; Dec=6.9,
Jan=7.1, Feb=5.6 (Others: 1686, 1734, 1796, 1869, 1935, 1975, 1989 and 1990.)
2. Notably WET January by the EWP series.

1. 1834/1835: Notably snowy winter in
Scotland. By the third week of January, 1835, there had been enough snow to
seriously disrupt the 'Mails', but it was not until the end of February that
the greatest quantities were reported. The bad/snowy weather lasted well into
mid-March, with depths of 8 or 9 feet being reported.
2. 1835/1836: Another bad winter for snow in Scotland. From December until the
end of March, snow was a feature. Heavy falls were reported in January and
February, 1836, followed by 'considerable' accumulations in March, especially
across northern Scotland. In Edinburgh, snow was a problem as late as the 31st
March, and it was not until 7th April that there was a significant easing in
the situation.
3. A very wet March across England & Wales in 1836; (in the 'top - 10' of
wettest such-named months in the EWP series).
4. 1836/1837: Although considerable snowfall was reported in January, 1837, the
worst of the weather as far as snow was concerned, was still to come. blizzards
began at the end of February and on the 14th March, the weather was still
'severe'. All through March, the weather is still described as 'severe' both as
to cold & snow. Much transport dislocation, and distress to livestock,
damage to root crops etc. On the 12th April, the Glasgow Chronicle reported
that the Campsie and Kilpatrick Hills were still white with snow. The wheat was
so badly damaged by frost that the farmers had harrowed it down, and were
sowing oats instead. Deer were dying through lack of fodder in the hills &
the frost was so severe that many lambs died immediately they were born.
5. 1837/1838: Further considerable snowfall across Scotland. However a late
start to the winter, with as late as the 6th January, the weather reported as
mild with farmers well on with the work. After the 8th, hard frosts & snow
however then became a feature of the winter/early spring, with further notes of
disrupted mails, hardship for people and livestock. In some parts of northern
Scotland, snow was noted to fall on most days between January 8th & May
3rd. snow was also noted in upland areas of NE Scotland in June.
6. 1837/1838: A cold winter across England & Wales. In the CET record, the
value is given as 1.4degC, an approximate anomaly of -2.3C on the all-series
mean. Of particular note were the low temperatures experienced during January,
1838, when the monthly average (CET) is assessed as -1.5degC, equal 8th coldest
such named month in the series (with 1709 & 1881); the estimated anomaly
for this month being over four-and-a-half degC colder than the long-term mean.
Indeed, this month only fails by a whisker to make it into the 10
'all/any-month' coldest list. (CET)

1, CET,
EWP

1834

A dry spell from February to June, then a
wet summer (in London).
Fog from 30th September to 6th October (London/South).

8

1835
(summer)

A dry summer (London/South).

8

1836
(March)

A very wet March across England &
Wales in 1836; (in the 'top - 10' of wettest such-named months in the EWP
series).

EWP

October 1836

28th (or 29th?): Snow lay in Edinburgh 4
to 5 inches (10 to 13cm) deep: earliest date (up to 1960s).
Remarkable (compared with conditions for the late 20th/early 21st century)
snowfall in the east and southeast on the 29th. An inch (2.5cm) in London, and
five inches (eleven or twelve inches claimed in places) lay at Bury St. Edmunds
(Suffolk) for five days. Two inches (circa 5 cm) at Cobham (Surrey), which lay
for 5 days, with day maxima barely above freezing. From ng/GPE: 25 cm at
Newmarket (Suffolk) (LW, amongst others)

6, 8

29th November 1836

A severe gale blew down trees and
unroofed houses (London/South?).

8

25th December 1836

Great ENE gale and snowstorm 25th - 26th,
many lives lost: roads throughout England impassable for several days, snow 5
to 15 feet (1.5 to 4.5 metres) deep in many places, a few great drifts 20 to 50
feet (6 to 15m). [ see also entry above and below for whole
winter.]

Although considerable snowfall was
reported in January, 1837, the worst of the weather as far as snow was
concerned, was still to come. Blizzards began at the end of February and on the
14th March, the weather was still 'severe'. All through March, the weather is
still described as 'severe' both as to cold & snow. Much transport
dislocation, and distress to livestock, damage to root crops etc. On the 12th
April, the Glasgow Chronicle reported that the Campsie and Kilpatrick Hills
were still white with snow. The wheat was so badly damaged by frost that the
farmers had harrowed it down, and were sowing oats instead. Deer were dying
through lack of fodder in the hills & the frost was so severe that many
lambs died immediately they were born.
During this winter, the only (known) disastrous snow avalanche in these islands
occurred on the 27th December 1836, at Lewes, Sussex. Heavy snow started to
fall on Christmas Eve, and easterly gales blowing over the top of Cliffe Hill
with associated eddies, caused a cornice of snow to build up, overhanging a row
of houses which stood below. Three days later, on the 27th, bright sunshine
caused a fissure in the cornice. Householders ignored a warning. The houses
were demolished, and eight people were killed. The "Snowdrop Inn" on
the site commemorates the event.

GBWFF

1837 (Spring)

The coldest spring (March / April / May)
in the entire CET record. March, with a value of 2.3degC (anom. ~-3C) was one
of the 'top-10' such-named months, whilst April (4.7degC/anom. ~-3.2C) was
the coldest April in the entire series. May was also cold (anom. ~-1.3).
The overall seasonal mean CET value was 5.6degC, or around -2.5C on the
all-series value (and about 3C below the 'modern-day' average). (See also 1770
& 1695)
Snow or sleet showers on the 10th & 22nd May (?London/South?) [ see also
1770 & 1695]

8,
CET

1837/38
(Winter &
early Spring)

This severe winter was called
"Murphy's winter"; Patrick Murphy won fame and a small fortune from
the sale of an almanac in which he predicted the severe frost of January 1838
(a 2 month frosty period set in with a light SE wind & fine day with hoar
frost on the 7th (or 8th) January).
20th January 1838: Lowest temperatures (known / accepted) of the 19th century
in London; -16degC reported at Greenwich about sunrise (close to minimum time),
-20degC at Blackheath, -26degC at Beckenham (Kent). The temperature in
Greenwich was -11degC at midday. The Thames at Greenwich was completely covered
with ice at high water on the 27th January 1838 & elsewhere, ice floes were
reported in the Thames or the Estuary.
Considerable snowfall across Scotland. However a late start to the winter, with
as late as the 6th January, the weather being reported as mild with farmers
well on with the work. After the 8th, hard frosts & snow then became a
feature of the winter/early spring, with further notes of disrupted mails,
hardship for people and livestock. In some parts of northern Scotland, snow was
noted to fall on most days between January 8th & May 3rd. snow was also
noted in upland areas of NE Scotland in June.
A cold winter across England & Wales. (Easton, in CHMW/Lamb): Using the CET
record, the average across December / January / February was 1.4degC, or nearly
21/2C below the all-series mean. December was not particularly extreme, but
January, with a value of -1.5degC, was in the 'top-10' of coldest Januarys,
whilst February, with a mean value of 0.4degC, lay just outside the top-10
coldest such-named months in the same record.

6, 8,
CET

1838 (February)

THE 'BUDE BREAKWATER' GALE
1. On the evening of the 24th February, 1838, a southerly gale developed
(" more violent than for years "), this veering west-southwesterly
through the night and coincided with a high tide in the early hours of the
25th. The inside slope of the Bude Breakwater (built to protect the
harbour/canal entrance between 1820 and 1822) gave way (?scouring /
over-topping?), with three-quarters of the structure giving way. [ Apparently
the mortar had been weakened by a severe frost in the winter; however, the
structure was also deemed to have had too steep a slope, and the replacement
breakwater was of much better construction, and has survived many a gale to
this day/2003.] damage also occurred to sea structures all along the south
coast of England, including the Plymouth breakwater.

12

1838 (late Summer / Autumn)

Following a severe winter/early spring of
1838 over Scotland [ see above ], the crops were already delayed, and were then
damaged in the ground by frost in August, with the cold, frosty weather
continuing through September & October. A large proportion of the crop was
lost, with much hardship for rural tenants.

x

1838

Cold year:
fog on 11 days in September (London/South).
Snow showers on the 13th October (?London/South?).

8

January 1839

"The Night of the 'Big
Wind'": this is the most notorious of all storms to affect Ireland
(also affected other parts of the British Isles - see later). An unusually deep
depression (one of the deepest ever recorded so close to the British Isles)
travelling in a north-east direction to the north of Ireland was responsible
for gusts widely 75-90 knots, and in excess of 100 knots in a few places; Lamb
says there is 'evidence of whirlwind / tornado activity'. At least 90 people
were killed across Ireland & surrounding waters, though the death toll was
surprisingly low, allowing for the lack of warning. There was considerable
damage to buildings, shipping and crops right across the island. Around 20-25%
of houses in Dublin experienced some form of damage, though some was minor
(broken windows). Several tens of thousands of trees were uprooted. The
aforementioned storm also affected other parts of the British Isles,
particularly western & northern parts of Britain. The newly-built Menai
Bridge was severely damaged. In Liverpool & in the adjacent waters of the
Irish Sea, much damage ensued - building damage ashore, and loss of vessels
& lives afloat. Deaths in the Liverpool area, both on land & at sea is
stated to be around 115, with many-a-breach of local sea walls, and the death
total across the entire British Isles may have been in excess of 400. (Remember
that coastal shipping was of great importance in these days before the railway
network reached all corners of the Kingdom - also Ireland was then an integral
part of the United Kingdom).

6,
23

1839 May

Showers of snow, sleet and hail on the
14th & 15th May.

8

1839
(Summer,
Autumn &
early Winter)

A wet summer (148% of LTA 1916-1950)
across England & Wales. Specifically, July 1839 was in the 'top-10' of
wettest such-named months in the EWP series.
Over the longer period from June to November 1839, using the EWP series, the
RAINFALL %age was around 150% averaged over the England & Wales domain, and
probably close to twice-average across southern England.

1, EWP

1839 (Annual)

A wet year and a wet summer (in London).
A cold year for Scotland. Specifically for agricultural areas of NE Scotland
(though not exclusively so - just that this is the area I have data), the
following are noted:
> March: a severe snowstorm, with much drifting - loss of life.
> May: about the middle of that month, there was a heavy fall of snow with
much drifting.
> September: Severe flooding after heavy rainfall. Damage / destruction of
bridges in the area.
Over England & Wales, the period June 1839 to January 1840 was notably wet
(including the wet summer - see above); the cumulative anomaly for this period
was 140%.
In December, FOG 1st to 7th December (London/South).

8, EWP

1840 (Autumn)

Excessively wet over parts of Scotland,
particularly the northeast.

x

1840 (November)

Thick fog 27th to 29th November
(London/South).

8

1840

A dry year both by the London &
England & Wales series. From the Greenwich record, the total rainfall for
this year was 16.43 inches / ~417mm, or about 70% of the contemporary average.
February, March, April, August & December were all dry, March & April
notably so (just 0.09 ins / ~2mm in the latter month). Using the wider England
& Wales series, the total was 801mm (~88% of LTA), with March & April
very dry: March 1840, with 10mm (~13%) of rain was the third driest such-named
month in the entire series. (LW/EWP)[ contrast with Scotland in the autumn -
below ]

A wet sequence of months from July to
November inclusive across England & Wales. Using the EWP series, the
approximate anomaly for the period overall was 140-150%. No individual month
was exceptionally wet by this series, but the consistency of high rainfall (May
& June also had above-average values) led to local flooding later in the
year. This was a period of feverish railway building in Britain, and work was
often affected due to collapse of cuttings / embankments etc. [ various railway
histories ]

EWP

1842
& 1843
(Decembers)

For two years running, these Decembers
were remarkably mild, with CET values respectively 7.2 & 7.4degC: these
values represent an anomaly on the all-series mean of at least +3C, and on the
modern-era mean of at least +2C. As of 2008, these two early-winter months are
comfortably within the 'top-10' of this long established series.

CET

1844 (Annual)

One of the driest years across England
and Wales using the EWP series.
April, May (DRIEST May in that series), June & December all exceptionally
dry.

EWP

1844/1845
(Winter)

A cold winter over western Europe /
implied for parts of Britain. (Easton, in CHMW/Lamb)

1

1845
(late Summer/early Autumn):

BLIGHT & CROP FAILURE ACROSS
EUROPE
1. Notably cold weather July to September. The summer of 1845 (June, July &
August) had a mean CET=14.2degC, around a degree below the all-series mean.
Specifically, August 1845 was over 2 degC colder than average. This summer was
part of a run of poor such seasons from 1843 to 1845, with significantly below
average temperatures using the CET series.
2. Persistent / often heavy rains over Ireland accompanied by depressed
temperatures during the second half of the summer, precipitated the start of a
great famine. The failure was caused by rotting of the potato (a staple food
for poor families in the island) in the ground - the weather conditions (cold /
damp) being ideal for spread of the spores which caused the Blight. By October
of 1845, there had been a total collapse of the Irish potato source. The
situation was made worse because of the failure of the corn harvest in Britain
and western Europe, and the indifference of both the government in Westminster
[ Ireland was at this time part of the United Kingdom ] & of the
land-owners, many of whom were English, or Anglo-Irish.

CET, 14

1845/1846
(Winter)

Notably mild winter in Scotland. (c.f. to
'severe' winter conditions much further south e.g. Paris). The generally mild
weather lasted from December to early March, when 'winter' set in. The mild
conditions were also reflected in the CET record, where the value was 5.8degC
(roughly +2C), placing the winter within the top dozen-or-so of mild
winters.

1, CET

1846
(April)

A wet month, with an EWP value of 112
mm, representing roughly 180% of the contemporary LTA. In Dorset, work on the
Southampton to Dorchester Railway was halted for a time due to the wet
conditions underfoot.

1st: Violent thunderstorms. Hail smashed
glass arcade over Regent Street pavements in London beyond repair.
3rd: a 'Great Flood [Y dwr mawr]' affected the Welsh town of Corwen,
Denbighshire (formerly Merionethshire). After a spell of HOT & DRY weather,
late afternoon (reported as 'about 5 o'clock), brought "torrents of
RAIN" across the area - bringing the small streams/rivers in the area to
full-flood quickly. The rain was accompanied by much THUNDER, and lasted at a
high intensity until the early hours of the 4th. There was significant
inundation of properties in the town. Many properties were flooded as streams
became 'raging torrents'. The only death was at Llangar - a woman was drowned
attempting to save her little ones. A stone bridge was swept away. [These
reports suggest an event similar to that of the Boscastle Storm of
2004/August.](Ref: Corwen Eisteddfod Book 1903 & other internet-searchable
sources)

6,
x (see text)

1846
(Summer)

1. Further high rainfall in Ireland -
causing additional misery after the previous failure of the potato crop (see
above). The hardship in the island continued for many years (until at least
July 1849), encouraging emigration & fostering the ill-feeling towards rule
from England which was to cause so much strife in the next 150 years. In 1841,
the census total for Ireland was 8.17mn; by the 1851 tally, it had fallen to
6.55mn: it has been estimated that over 1mn people died due to the Famine.
2. With a CET value of 17.1degC, this summer over England & Wales was in
the 'top-5' of WARMEST summers in that series (began 1659). [ I suppose you
could speculate that it was for this reason that English landowners did not
fully appreciate the plight of poorer people in Ireland. However note that
summer 1846 was also WET in the EWP series, with ~125% of LTA rainfall.]

The winter of 1846/47 was noted for
severe frosts and heavy rains across southern England. Using the CET record,
December had a value of 0.5degC, at least 3.5C below the all-series mean;
January and February anomalies were between -1 and -1.5C. The winter as a whole
ranked within the 'top 10%' of coldest winters in this long established series.
[CET] { Rainfall, using the EWP series, doesn't appear to be extreme (December
relatively dry), but this series may not reflect local conditions. } On the
Southampton & Dorchester Railway, then under construction, working across
the soils of the New Forest proved to be very difficult. In a single week, a
total of 13 horses became stuck in the mud and had to be destroyed.

1. One of the wettest Februarys across
England & Wales (using the EWP series).

EWP

1848
(Summer)

A notably wet summer (157% of LTA
1916-1950) across England & Wales (see Lamb/CHMW). At Greenwich, the total
rainfall for the three months of June, July & August=247mm (161%). June
1848 was especially wet here (Greenwich), with 89mm or ~210% of LTA. July had
below average rainfall (85%), but August was back up to 186% anomaly with
108mm, by far the wettest month of that very wet year (q.v.).

1, EWP

1848 (Annual)

9th wettest in the EWP series (as of
2004). Notable floods along the Thames Valley.